Imagine singing with non-judgement

Written by Eve Kornhauser.

Singing, like dancing or the visual arts, is a natural expression of the human spirit. Unfortunately, our society often tells us we cannot perform these activities unless we are “experts.” As a voice teacher, yoga teacher, and a singer myself, I believe we all have artistic spirits within us. Just as we yoginis tap into the silence of the inner self through our practice, we all have the ability to tap into our inner song and express it outwardly.

Imagine singing with non-judgement and self-acceptance – the same principals we use on our mats! By dropping this judgement and self-criticism, we can learn to make sound and song the same way. Just as we can practice a yoga pose and experience it from the inside-out, we can drop into the feeling of sound from the inside- out, exploring vibrations in the body, sound with movement , and the joy of joining our voice with the voices of others.

Yoga and singing make a beautiful marriage. I have been a singer most of my life. Once I began a serious yoga practice 20 years ago, I became fascinated by the way both singing and asana practice are improved and deepened through an intimate body-mindfulness. The longer I studied yoga, the more singing became an act of love and service rather than one of perfection and ego. I feel strongly committed to helping others find their voice and the inherent joy and expression that comes with it!

Try this: stand in mountain pose and come to quiet. Raise the arms slowly as you take in a full, healing breath. Release the arms and the breath on a sigh. Notice the feeling of allowing the breath to fully let go. Do the same motion again and this time release the sound on an audible "ah." Keep the same feeling of letting go, giving up the controls. Now do that motion as you inhale fully and release the air on a pitched sound - any vowel you want, any kind of sound you want, but keep the sense of letting go, of relaxation, with no judgement. Don't listen to your sound, just pay attention to the inner experience.

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